Phone Solution II Addendum No.1 Questions and Answers.pdf

Massachusetts School Building Authority

Request for Responses Hosted VoIP Unified Communications Phone Solution II

MSBA-PhoneSolution-2025-2

Addendum No. 1: Questions and Answers

October 24, 2025

1. Question: Can you share more about the specific challenges or limitations you're facing with your current voice system?

Answer: The MSBA is currently looking to simplify the end user experience as it relates to communication tools.

2. Question: Of the listed objectives, are there any that carry more weight in your evaluation process (e.g., Teams integration vs. admin usability)?

Answer: All defined objectives are important to the MSBA with Teams integration being a top priority.

3. Question: Is there an internal deadline or event (besides March/April 2026) that influences the urgency or rollout schedule?

Answer: The MSBA is looking to implement a solution in March/April 2026. The

MSBA will work with the selected Respondent to determine and finalize an appropriate timeline.

4. Question: Are you currently using Microsoft Teams for calling in any capacity, or would this be a net-new rollout for voice?

Answer: The MSBA currently utilizes Microsoft Teams; introducing Teams Calling functionality would constitute a new implementation effort.

5. Question: Have you tested or piloted any direct routing solutions previously? If so, what worked or didn’t?

Answer: No.

6. Question: Do you envision Teams being the sole softphone interface, or would users toggle between multiple interfaces?

Answer: The MSBA envisions MS Teams being the sole softphone interface for end-users.

7. Question: Would you prefer your provider to manage the voice infrastructure, or are you considering a self-managed model?

Answer: The MSBA is seeking a vendor which has an infrastructure to support MS

Teams calling. The MSBA is looking for internal administrators to have the ability to perform certain tasks with the vendor available for support. Please see the RFR for additional information.

8. Question: Do all 130–150 users require the same calling features, or are there different user profiles/roles with varying needs?

Answer: All users will require similar calling features.

9. Question: Are there any users that require persistent desk phones in addition to the

Teams client (e.g., reception, shared spaces, conference rooms)?

Answer: Yes, reception will require a desk phone. Please see Section 1B in the RFR.

10. Question: Can you elaborate on what 24/7/365 hybrid workforce support should look like in practice? (e.g., global access, mobile app support, help desk availability, etc.)

Answer: A 24/7/365 hybrid workforce support includes seamless assistance whether employees are remote, onsite, or mobile. This support should be a unified help experience that focuses on a centralized support system that feels the same whether accessed through chat, phone, or self-service portal.

11. Question: Are your existing DIDs currently managed in-house, or through a third-party carrier?

Answer: Existing DIDs are currently managed by a third-party.

12. Question: Do you anticipate any changes to your numbering plan or extensions during the transition?

13. Question: Is there a preferred downtime or change window for the porting process?

Answer: The MSBA will work with the selected Respondent to determine an acceptable timeframe for the porting process.

14. Question: What level of access and control does the MSBA IT team expect from the admin dashboard? (e.g., provisioning users, assigning DIDs, setting call flows)

Answer: IT admins should have full administrative access to the Vendor/MS Team’s phone dashboard to manage users, numbers, call routing, and system configurations. This level of control allows IT to independently handle day-to-day operations and troubleshoot issues without relying solely on the vendor.

15. Question: Are there any current pain points with user configuration changes that you’d like to avoid with the new system?

Answer: The MSBA is looking for a main unified communications platform.

16. Question: What specific reports or performance metrics are most important to your IT or operations teams?

Answer: The MSBA is looking for metrics and reports on items including but not limited to uptime, call quality, general usage, and type of call.

17. Question: Can you clarify how often faxing is used, and by how many departments?

Would cloud fax fully replace physical fax machines?

Answer: Cloud fax replaces physical fax. Current usage is limited to a small subset of departments.

18. Question: Would a digital-to-analog converter be needed for any other legacy devices beyond fax?

19. Question: How do you envision the training being delivered (e.g., train-the-trainer, department-level sessions, recorded modules)?

Answer: The MSBA would prefer train-the-trainer and detailed documentation. The

MSBA will work with the selected vendor to determine the best training methods.

20. Question: Are there any anticipated scheduling challenges or blackout periods for implementation?

Answer: The MSBA will work with the selected vendor an agreed upon timeline and schedule.

21. Question: Will MSBA require hands-on support during rollout, or do you expect mostly remote onboarding?

Answer: MSBA expects mostly remote onboarding.

22. Question: What are your expectations for 24/7 support—just IT administrators, or end users as well?

Answer: IT administrators.

23. Question: Are there specific SLAs you require for issue resolution or response times?

Answer: At least “three nines” 99.9% for availability. 24/7 support coverage for critical systems.

24. Question: Are there internal compliance officers or departments we’d need to coordinate with to verify alignment with state/federal regulations?

Answer: The Respondent shall consult with its legal counsel to certify compliance with all applicable laws and regulations. Please see Question 25 as well.

25. Question: Are there any additional security or privacy policies beyond those listed (e.g., specific data residency requirements)?

Answer: The MSBA requires that all work performed under this engagement – including but not limited to data storage, processing, and access – occur within the continental

United States. Off-shore or non-US data handling is not permitted. Apart from the requirements listed here and the RFR, Respondents must comply with all applicable

Massachusetts and federal data privacy, cybersecurity, and information security laws and best practices. It is expected that the Respondent’s recommended solution will comply with all applicable federal and Massachusetts law. The Respondent shall consult with its legal counsel to certify compliance with all applicable laws and regulations.

26. Question: Are there any systems (e.g., CRM, ticketing, HR) you’d want this solution to integrate with beyond Microsoft 365?

27. Question: How often do you review or adopt emerging technologies, and what does your roadmap look like for voice communications?

Answer: The MSBA will work with the selected vendor on this information as needed.

28. Question: Is March/April 2026 a hard go-live date, or is there flexibility depending on complexity or vendor onboarding?

Answer: The MSBA is looking to implement a solution in March/April 2026. The

MSBA will work with the selected Respondent to determine and finalize an appropriate timeline. See question #3 above.

29. Question: Will there be a formal RFP process following this stage, or are you in a vendor selection phase already?

Answer: It is the intent of the RFR to select a provider to provide a remotely hosted

VoIP unified communications style phone solution to provide the MSBA with a voice communication platform which is reliable, user-friendly, flexible and secure.

30. Question: Who will be the primary decision-makers and stakeholders involved in selecting and approving the final solution?

Answer: Responses will be reviewed by an internal team composed of MSBA staff. The team will evaluate responses as described in Section V of the RFR. Afterwards, the team intends to recommend to the Executive Director of the MSBA that the MSBA should enter into a contract with a Respondent. The Executive Director will accept or reject the recommendation.

31. Question: Are you open to exploring the use of Zoom Plugin integration within

Microsoft Teams as part of your unified communications strategy? This configuration would utilize the client running in the background as the primary call control application, instead of relying on Direct Routing as a Service (DRaaS) model. By adopting this approach, our service would handle all call control functions—even in the event of a

Microsoft Teams service outage—helping to ensure voice continuity and minimize disruption to communications. Zoom Workplace provide AI Companian capabilities at no additional cost and is less than adding the Microsoft 365 Add-on.

32. Question: Would the Massachusetts School Building Authority consider extending the due date by one week?

33. Question: Is the requirement for a “web dashboard” mandatory? Our proposed solution would include a portal that supports ongoing changes and maintenance. Per the Web

SOW (Section 6), we do not handle support tickets directly. However, our proposed portal would provide full functionality for changes and maintenance. Billing information will be accessible through the vendor portal, and support tickets can be submitted via

ATS, which operates 24/7/365.

Answer: While a web-based dashboard is not strictly necessary, the vendor should provide an equivalent tool that offers comparable functionality and an intuitive interface for performing administrative tasks.

34. Question: Is Massachusetts School Building Authority only looking to obtain a total of

1-2 VoIP enabled desk phones or is that per office/location?

Answer: The MSBA only requires 1-2 desk phones with the majority of users utilizing softphones.

END OF ADDENDUM NO. 1